Japan marks end of World War II; premier pledges peace (Roundup)

Aug 15, 2008, 8:16 GMT

A Japanese man holding a Japanese sword and dressed as a Japanese WW II imperial soldier pose in front of a gate at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, on 15 August 2008, the 63rd anniversary of the end of World War II. EPA/DAI KUROKAWA

Tokyo - Nearly 6,000 people gathered Friday in Tokyo to commemorate the country's 3.1 million war dead on the anniversary of the end of World War II as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda pledged Japan would work toward world peace.

'We renew the no-war pledge once again and vow to actively contribute to the establishment of ever-lasting world peace as a peaceful nation,' Fukuda said at the ceremony at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan arena, which was also attended by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

The prime minister also touched on Japan's war responsibility and added that the nation 'inflicted considerable damage and pain on people in many countries, especially Asian nations, in the war,' he said.

Fukuda expressed deep regret and offered condolences for the war dead.

Meanwhile, Farm Minister Seiichi Ota; Justice Minister Okiharu Yasuoka; Seiko Noda, state minister in charge of consumer affairs; and former prime ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated to Japan's war dead.

The shrine visits by Japanese leaders on August 15, the date Japan surrendered in 1945, have drawn protests from other Asian nations, especially China and South Korea, which experienced occupation and wartime atrocities by Japan.

While Koizumi was in office, his repeated visits to the shrine strained ties with neighbouring nations. Abe refrained from visiting the shrine on the anniversary while he was premier to try to mend ties with China and South Korea.

Fukuda did not go to the shrine but laid flowers at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery near the shrine for the unknown soldiers and civilians who died overseas during the war.

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara also paid homage to the war dead, and a group of about 50 lawmakers made the trip to the Yasukuni Shrine.

Ishihara said he prayed to the war dead so that 'Japan won't come to an end.'

The Yasukuni Shrine honours 2.8 million war dead, including more than 1,000 convicted war criminals and 14 convicted Class-A war criminals.